Climate Action Strategies & Achievements - City of Sonoma
Climate Action Strategies & Achievements - City of Sonoma
Draft Climate Action Strategies - We want to hear from you!
The City of Sonoma has set a challenging goal of reaching “net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.” The Climate Action Commission has been working closely with city staff to prepare the Draft Climate Action Strategies, setting out a range of feasible measures designed to accomplish this objective. This draft plan is now available for public review and comment through October 20, 2023, prior to its formal consideration by the Commission and then the City Council.
To provide written comments on the draft, please email Travis Wagner at twagner@sonomacity.org.
Progress and Achievements in Sustainability
The City is leading in its commitment to sustainability by making significant progress toward reducing its greenhouse gas pollution and enhancing environmental sustainability.
This progress is a result of the City undertaking a wide range of actions and initiatives to implement climate actions and improve the sustainability performance of both government operations and the community at large.
- December 2019, the City hired its first-ever part-time Sustainability Coordinator.
- April 2020, the City published the comprehensive report, Sonoma’s Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability Accomplishments.
- May 2020, the City Council adopted a work plan to implement specific climate and environmental sustainability actions.
- June 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution declaring a Climate Emergency.
- February 2021, the city's Joint Climate Action Subcommittee held its first meeting.
- June 2022, the City Council approved the formation of a Climate Action Commission
- February 2023, the City's new Climate Action Commission held its first meeting.
- September 2023, the Draft Climate Action Strategies is released to the public for comment.
Partners in Sustainability
Achieving sustainability is a collaborative, community-based effort. By sharing information, resources, activities, and capabilities, the City and its partners can accomplish actions together.
Please visit our partners' websites to learn more about how these organizations are supporting sustainability efforts in Sonoma.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”